Francis: Jesus only pretended to be angry with the apostles

Photo ~ Perhaps Jesus, in all 4 Gospels, does not really get angry over the money changers turning the Temple ("the house of My Father") into a den of thieves. Perhaps all of the following is hyperbole? John 2:13-16

(CNA) Pope Francis directed his reflections to those present in the Saint Martha guesthouse of the Vatican, where he has chosen to reside.

He began by recalling of how in the Gospels, the Lord taught his disciples to pay attention to the signs of the times, which the Pharisees failed to understand, emphasizing how one must think not only with the head, but also with the heart and the spirit in order to fully comprehend “way of God in history.”

“In the Gospel, Jesus does not become angry, but pretends to when the disciples do not understand him,” the Pope explained, adding that at Emmaus Jesus says, “'How foolish and slow of heart.'”

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Prof. Leonard Wessell

Dec 1, 2013

I doubt "shoot from the hip" Pope Francis realizes what he has just said. First of all, why is the Pope so "angry" with or, well, just insulting of us traditionalists. I guess we are "foolish and slow of heart" which, I must say, is better than being Neo-Pelagian or obsessed, etc. and other loving words from the Pope. But such small incongruities are nothing compared with THE implication. If Jesus never became angry, he never was a human being. Any believing human seeing abuse of sacred things would become angry. Perhaps a pure angelic spirit might be above it all, but that is not Jesus, the Second Person Incarnate. All the doctrine of incarnation rests upon Jesus being a true human in incarnation with the Second Person. Wait a minute, maybe I am wrong. Simulation to trick others is a very human act, particularly of con men. Jesus pretends to be angry, but is not is to say that Jesus simulates what he is not. By implication, perhaps stretched a bit, this pope has at beast placed the humanity of Jesus in doubt. Think about it: If Jesus can simulate anger with the Pharisees, he could just as well simulate pain on the Cross.